Railway car construction



E D E R C E c RAILWAY CAR CONSTRUCTION 2 She'eis-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 31, I938 March 5, 1940. c, E CREDE 2,192,813

RAILWAY CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. :51. 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Hg Af/am Patented Mar. 5, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAILWAYCAR CONSTRUCTION Application December 31, 1938, Serial No. 248,840

12 Claims.

The invention relates to railway cars and more particularly to the walls of railway cars. I have shown an end wall of a railway car for the purposes of describing the invention and pointing out the advantages thereof but my invention should not be limited to end walls. I intend that the term walls should be broadly interpreted to include side walls, side doors, roofs, floors, hopper doors and like structures.

The walls of railway cars are often subjected to high stresses. Loads carried by cars weigh many tons and are frequently bulk commodities or articles not securely braced within the car. The sudden starting. stopping, accelerating and decelerating in addition to the constant swaying to which cars are subjected during service imparts severe stresses to the walls thereof. This condition exists particularly in the end walls of cars. common type of wall, particularly an end wall, is one in which a metallic plate is formed with a plurality of substantially parallel corrugations which extend between spaced apart posts or frame members.

It is an object of this invention to provide a reinforcement whereby the strength of a corrugated wall is increased. It is a further object to provide said increase in strength with a minimum increase in weight and a still further object to increase the strength without unnecessarily decreasing the resiliency of the end. Modern trends in railway car construction are toward eliminating unnecessary weight; any method of reducing weight is, therefore, favored by car designers.

Another object of the invention is to increase the resiliency of railway car walls. Resiliency is the characteristic of a wall which cushions shocks and protects lading from damage. It also enables a wall to be deflected a large distance without permanent damage thereto. Means are hereinafter disclosed for providing an almost perfectly resilient wall, or one as near perfect as economic considerations will permit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a reinforcement for a corrugated wall which may, depending upon the use for which it is intended, extend over substantially the entire surface of the wall or may reinforce only small areas. For example, in certain types of refrigerator cars, the thrust upon the bulkhead is transmitted by a plurality of braces to the lowermost corrugation of the end of the car. It has been found from experience that a reinforcement is desirable for said lowermost corrugations and it is also desirable that the reinforced corrugation be as resilient as possible because commodities commonly hauled in refrigerator cars are easily damaged by severe impacts. In other types of cars and loads it may. be desirable to reinforce certain sections of the walls. For example, in hauling automobiles, certain types of suspension systems might conceivably impart severe, localized thrusts to the walls of the cars, in which case a resilient, local reinforcement would be advantageous. In transporting bulk commodities it is desirable to reinforce the entire end, or at least the entire lower portion of the end.

It is another object of the invention to provide a reinforcement which can be manufactured at a relatively low cost. In the manufacture of the reinforcement hereinafter described, the same dies can be used that were used to manufacture the corrugated wall plate. Furthermore, the reinforcement is well adapted both to assembly and to attachment to the car by spot welding. Spot welding is a rapid as well as an economical method of assembly.

Other advantages and objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description made in reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Y

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a typical railway car showing the end wall formed with parallel corrugations.

Figs. 2 and 3 are sections on lines 22 and 33 respectively of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of a wall embodying the reinforcing sheets which I claim as my invention.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Figs. 6 and '7 show modified constructions.

Fig. 8 is a diagram showing the relation between the bending moment and the section modulus of the structure shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

Figs. 9 and 10 show my invention adapted to a refrigerator car; Fig. 9 being on line 9--9 of Fig. 10 and Fig. 10 being on line illlll of Fig. 9.

Figs. 1 to 3 show a typical railway car, the parts shown being the striking casting 2; lower corner caps 3; end sill 4; corner posts 5; side sheathing 6; end wall plate 1; upper corner caps 8 and roof 9. The end wall plate I has formed therein a plurality of preferably parallel corrugations II) which extend substantially between the corner posts 5. The corrugations l0 function I as beams between the posts 5 to resist the thrusts of the lading which occur during service movements of the car.

Figs. 4 and 5 show an end plate l9 similar to the one of. Figs. 1 to 3 reinforced by the sheets 20-2l. The sheets 20-2! have formed therein a plurality of corrugations 22 preferably similar to the corrugations 23 in the plate IS. The sheets 20-2! are shorter than the plate l9 so that they terminate 24 intermediate the corner posts 5. The sheets are arranged so that the corrugations of sheet 2! nest in those of the sheet 20 and the corrugations of the sheet 20 nest in the corrugations 23 of the plate !9. The sheets 20-2! and the plate !9 may be secured together by any means, such as arc welding, spot welding or riveting.

The reinforcing sheets 20-2! should be secured to the plate !9 in such a manner that the sheets and plate cooperate as a beam. When the sheets 20-2! are within the car, as shown in Fig. 5, they may be secured only at their central portions 82 to the plate !9. When the sheets 20-2! are without the car, as shown in Fig. 6, they should be secured adjacent the terminations 2% to the plate !9. Whether the sheets are within or without the car, they may be secured throughout their entire length without impairing the efflciency of the structure because there is substantially no tendency for movement of the sheets relative to the plate.

Fig. 'l fllustrates a structure similar to that shown in Figs. 4 and 5 wherein the corrugations 36in the reinforcing sheet 3! have a somewhat different contour than the corrugations 38 in the end wall plate 30.

It is an object of this invention to proportion the length and thickness of the sheets 20-2! so that the strength of the end wall as a beam between the posts 5 closely approaches a beam of constant strength. The thrust from within a car upon the end wall is frequently distributed substantially uniformly upon the end wall. In Fig. 8 the substantially parabolic line 25 represents the bending moment in a uniformly loaded beam, the vertical scale in bending moment units, such as pound inches, being indicated by the points 26 on the line 2?. The horizontal scale corresponds to a plan or end view of a car wherein the terminations 28 of the line 29 represent the corner posts 5 shown in Fig. 5.

According to the theory of beams, a beam of any given strength which has the greatest resiliency is a beam whose section modulus line coincides with the bending moment line. In Fig. 8 the zig-zag line 30 shows the section modulus of the structure shown in Figs. 4 and 5, said structure comprising the plate !9 and sheets 20-2!. The points 26 on the line 2'! also represent units of section modulus, such as inches cubed, and the section modulus scale is proportioned relative to the bending moment scale so that the line 30 becomes tangent to the line 25. The line 3! represents the section modulus of the end wall shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the thickness of the plate !0 being substantially equal to the combined thickness of the plate !9 and sheets 20-2! shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

As heretofore stated, the perfectly resilient beam has a section modulus curve coinciding with the bending moment curve. In Fig. 8 the area between the lines 25 and 30 indicates the amount by which the structure of Figs. 4 and 5 departs from the theoretically perfect. The area 35 could be decreased very considerably by increasing the number of reinforcing sheets, such as 20-2!. The number of sheets used is limited, of course, by the cost thereof so it is necessary to choose between a low-cost structure and a high degree of mechanical perfection.

Figs. 9 and 10 show my invention adapted to the reinforcement of a refrigerator car and wall. Parts of the refrigerator car shown are end sill corner posts 5!; side sheathing 52; side lining 53; sub-floor 54; floor 55; floor rack 56; drain pan I'I; bulkhead 58; bulkhead posts 58; ice grates 60; end wall corrugated plate 8! insulation 62 and end lining 63. The plate 6! has formed therein a plurality of substantially parallel corrugations 64 which function as beams between the corner posts 5!. A plurality of braces 65 extend between the bulkhead 58 and the members 60 to transmit thrusts upon the bulkhead 58 to the spreader block 6'! and thence to the end wall plate 8 l, the load being taken particularly by the lowermost corrugation 68. A reinforcing sheet 68 has formed therein a corrugation I0 substantially similar to the corrugation 68 of the plate 0!. The sheet 89 is shorter than the plate 6! and, therefore, has its corrugation terminated intermediate of the corner posts 5!. Only one sheet 69 has been shown in order to simplify the drawings, but two sheets, such as are shown in Fig. 5, or even more, could be used, depending upon the required proximity of the line 30 to the line 25 of Fig. 8. t

The drawings, such as Figs. 4 and 5, show only two reinforcing sheets. Three, four, or even a greater number of sheets could obviously be used in the same manner but only two have been shown for sake of simplicity. The sheets 20-2! are shown relatively thick so that the corrugations in each sheet appear to be somewhat difierent, as shown in Fig. 4. As actually used, however, the sheets would be relatively thin and could, therefore, be made with substantially the same shape and would nest in each other as shown.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be 'understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof, within the scope of the claims, will occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a railway car having spaced apart frame members and a metallic plate secured thereto, said plate having formed therein a plurality of substantially parallel corrugations which function as beams between said frame members, a metallic sheet having formed therein a corrugation nesting in and being secured to one of said first mentioned corrugations, said sheet terminating intermediate of said frame members and having its central portion substantially aligned with the central portion of said plate to increase the section modulus of said first mentioned corrugation at its central portion, whereby the resiliency of said first mentioned corrugation as a beam is increased.

2. In a railway car having spaced apart frame members and a metallic plate secured thereto, said plate having formed therein a plurality of substantially parallel corrugations which function as beams between said frame members, a plurality of metallic sheets of different lengths each having formed therein a corrugation nesting in each other and one of said first mentioned corrugations, each of said sheets terminating intermediate of said frame members and having its central portion substantially aligned with the central portion of said plate for the purpose specified.

3. In a railway car having spaced apart frame "ill members and a metallic plate secured thereto. said -plate having formed therein a plurality of substantially parallel corrugations which function as beams between said frame members, a metallic sheet positioned within said car and having formed therein a corrugation nesting in one of said first mentioned corrugations, said sheet terminating intermediate of said frame members and having its central portion substantially aligned with the central portion of said plate to increase the section modulus of said first mentioned corrugation at its central portion, whereby the resiliency of said first mentioned corrugation as a beam is increased.

4. In a railway car having spaced apart frame members and a metallic plate secured thereto, said plate having formed therein a plurality of substantially parallel corrugations which function as beams between said frame members, a metallic sheet having formed therein corrugations nesting in and being secured to said first mentioned corrugations, said sheet terminating intermediate of said frame members and having its central portion substantially aligned with the central portion of said plate to increase the section modulus of said corrugations at their central portions, whereby the resiliency of said corrugations as beams is increased.

5. In a railway car having spaced apart frame members and a metallic plate secured thereto, said plate having formed therein a plurality of substantially parallel corrugations which function as beams between said frame members, a metallic sheet having formed therein a substantially similar corrugation nesting in and being secured to one of said first mentioned corrugations, said sheet terminating intermediate of said frame members and having its central portion substantially aligned with the central portion of said plate to increase the section modulus of said first mentioned corrugation at its central portion, whereby the resiliency of said first mentioned corrugation as a beam is increased.

6. In a refrigerator car having spaced apart frame members, a metallic plate secured to said frame members and a bulkhead spaced from said plate, saidplate having formed therein a plurality of substantially parallel corrugations which function as beams between said frame members, the combination of a metallic sheet having formed therein a substantially similar corrugation nesting in and being secured to one of said first mentioned corrugations, said sheet terminating intermediate of said frame members, and a brace arranged to transmit a. thrust upon said bulkhead to a spreader block and thence to said sheet for the purpose specified.

"I. In a refrigerator car having spaced apart frame members, a metallic plate secured to said frame members and a bulkhead spaced from said plate, said plate having formed therein a plurality of substantially parallel corrugations which function as w ms between said frame members, the combination of a plurality of metallic sheets of difierent lengths, each having formed therein a substantially similar corrugation nesting in and being secured to each other and to one of said first mentioned corrugations, said sheets terminating intermediate of said frame members and having their centers substantially aligned with the center of said plate, and a brace arranged to transmit a thrust upon said bulkhead to said sheets for the purpose specified.

ii. In a refrigerator car ha spaced apart frame members, a metallic plate secured to said frame members and a bulkhead spaced from said plate, said plate having formed therein a plurality of substantially parallel corrugations which function as beams between said frame members, the combination of a metallic sheet having formed therein a substantially similar corrugation nesting in and being secured to one of said first mentioned corrugations, said sheet terminating intermediate of said frame members, and a plurality of braces arranged to transmit a thrust upon said bulkhead to a spreader block and thence to said sheet for the purpose specified.

9. A metallic plate having formed therein a corrugation terminating adjacent the margins of said plate and a metallic sheet having formed therein a corrugation nesting in and being secured to said first mentioned corrugation, said sheet terminating intermediate the terminations of said first mentioned corrugation and having its central portion substantially aligned with the central portion of said plate to increase the section modulus of said first mentioned corrugation at the central portion thereof, whereby the resiliency of said plate functioning as a beam is increased.

10. In a railway car having spaced apart frame members and a metallic plate secured thereto, said plate having formed therein a plurality of substantially parallel corrugations which function as beams between said frame members, a metallic sheet positioned within said car and having formed therein a corrugation nesting in and being secured at the central portion thereof to one of said first mentioned corrugations, said sheet terminating intermediate of said frame members and having its central portion substantially aligned with the central portion of said plate to increase the section modulus of said first mentioned corrugation at the central portion thereof, whereby the resiliency of said first mentioned corrugation as a beam is increased.

11. In a railway car having spaced apart frame members and a metallic plate secured thereto, said plate having formed therein a plurality of substantially parallel corrugations which function as beams between said frame members, a metallic sheet positioned without said car and having formed therein a corrugation nesting in and being secured at the terminations thereof to one of said first mentioned corrugations, said sheet terminating intermediate of said frame members and having its central portion substantially aligned with the central portion of said plate to increase the section modulus of said first mentioned corrugation at the central portion thereof, whereby the resiliency of said first mentioned corrugation as a beam is increased.

12. In a railway car having spaced apart frame members and a metallic plate secured thereto, said plate being formed with alternating and oppositely projecting substantially parallel corrugations which function as beams between said frame members, a metallic sheet having portions which contact the apices of said oppositely projecting corrugations, said sheet being secured to said plate and having its central portion substantally aligned with the central portion thereof, said sheet terminating intermediate of said frame members to increase the section modulus of said corrugations at the central portions thereof, whereby the resiliency of said corrugations as beams is increased. 

